Netflix has released an official The Witcher: Blood Origin trailer and poster. The reveal comes in the wake of big changes to the cast of the company’s mainline series based on the same IP.
Based on the highly successful book series of the same name by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, a member of an elite group of magically augmented humans known as Witchers created to serve as monster hunters in Sapowski's medieval-style fantasy world. Along with Geralt, the series also focuses on Ciri, a young princess linked to Geralt by destiny, and a powerful sorceress named Yennefer, who also serves as a love interest. The series was an immediate success, thanks, in part, to the casting of Henry Cavill in the lead role and the popularity of the video game series, which is widely regarded as one of the best video games based on books.
In light of the series’ success, the powers that be behind the recent adaptation have decided to forge ahead with more content. Netflix has released a trailer for the soon to b released project The Witcher: Blood Origin, which will be set in the same universe as the main series but will cover events that happened in the far past. The format is similar to that of Dune: The Sisterhood, which began filming in November 2022, as both explore the past of recently reestablished franchises. Netflix also released a captivating poster for the new project, which is billed as a four-part event set in the Witcher universe.
The Witcher: Blood Origin trailer begins by sampling the gorgeous costuming done for the cast while sweeping over majestic terrain and settling on a city as the stage is set by voiceover revealing the period and setting. Fans are also met with a harsh scene of brutality and an enigmatic monolith that work to set the stage for the show’s central conflict. The rest of the trailer is standard fare, with stirring speeches and exciting action scenes that are sure to delight everyone watching. While interesting, the trailer adds little to what is known so far about The Witcher: Blood Origin: it will serve as an origin story for Witchers and provide some serious world-building for fans who haven't read the books.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is off to a good start, with the cast featuring Sophia Brown, Laurence O'Fuarain, Michelle Yeoh, Mirren Mack, Lenny Henry, Minnie Driver, Francesca Mills, Zach Wyatt, Lizzie Annis, and Huw Novelli. Fans of the franchise will certainly be looking forward to getting their hands on the new work, which is being released at a time when many fans still feel bad about Cavill being recast and replaced by Liam Hemsworth for the fourth season of the main show. The situation has escalated enough that there’s a petition on Change.org to give Cavill the role back and dismiss the writers, who many think are to blame for the change.
While a spin-off is always good news for fans, the casting changes on The Witcher might spell some trouble for the direction of Blood Origin, with many would-be critics pointing to Cavill's decision to leave The Witcher possibly having to do with the source material and unfaithful adaptations of it. Whether the changes will make or break the two adaptations will have to be seen in the future.
The Witcher: Blood Origin will be released on Netflix on December 25, 2022.
Source: Netflix/YouTube
